Shaping a National Digital Strategy

The critical role of information and communications technology (ICT) in a nation’s economic competitiveness has long been recognized, and national and subnational governments in many countries have rolled out digital strategies in an effort to build out infrastructure, improve access to ICT, improve levels of digital literacy, attract technology entrepreneurs and create centres of digital innovation. While different nations have met with varying levels of success, the benefits of public-sector support for digital development have in all cases outweighed the costs – at least so far.

But for all the increased productivity, efficiency and transparency that proactive digital policies have unlocked, the downside of digital is in ever-increasing evidence, as reliance on digital by individuals, infrastructure and institutions alike leaves them more exposed and vulnerable to the predations of bad players. And, for all the laudable efforts on the part of states to modernize skills within their citizenries, the fact is that many are inevitably left behind on the wrong side of the digital divide.

Gavin Patterson, Chief Executive Officer of BT Group, noted that the UK has enjoyed marked success in its implementation of a national digital strategy. Policies promoted by both Labour and Conservative governments have been a “fantastic enabler” that has brought prosperity, social mobility and educational opportunity. Describing it as “the most developed internet in the G20,” Patterson noted that e-commerce in the UK is twice that of the US in per capita terms. And yet, inclusiveness has still been imperfect, he observed: 12 million out of the UK’s population of 65 million are still not online. Education, he said, is the key to closing that gap, and the UK government has made technology literacy a priority, teaching it alongside reading and writing as a basic skill.

“We know the benefits outweigh the dangers,” said Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda. “The dangers can be managed.” Kagame has famously led Rwanda to the forefront of digital modernity in Africa through prescient infrastructure investments. Rwanda now has 4,000 kilometres of fibre laid across the country, with nationwide 4G LTE mobile broadband networks as well. Internet penetration, only 3% in 2005, is now 33%. He emphasized that cooperation between the public and private sectors is necessary to assure the equitable distribution of the benefits of digitalization – and to manage the inevitable (if unspecified) cultural changes that come in the wake of the spread of ICT.

While security and privacy issues are very much on the minds of technology policy-makers in many if not all nations, specific policy recommendations addressing these issues are needed.